Bramlett, Lee Named MSU Nominees For McWhorter Post-Graduate Scholarship
March 30, 2010 | Softball, Athletic Academics
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., - Softball player Chelsea Bramlett and football player Tyson Lee have been nominated by Mississippi State University for the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship.
The H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship has been presented by the Southeastern Conference since 1986 to the league's top male and female scholar-athletes.Â
The Southeastern Conference will name the 2010 recipients of the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship on April 6 in conjunction with National Student-Athlete Day.
Bramlett, a native of Cordova, Tenn., has a 3.64 grade point average, majoring in Physical Education. She is a three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll (2010 SEC Academic Honor Roll released in spring) and has twice been named National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American Scholar-Athlete. She was selected first-team ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2008 and second-team in 2009.
Bramlett is a three-time NFCA All-American, the first Mississippi State softball player to earn first-team accolades three times. She was named the NFCA/Diamond Sports Catcher of the Year for the top catcher in NCAA Division I in both 2008 and 2009. She received the 2009 adidas Golden Shoe Award from the NFCA for being the top base stealer in Division I.
A member of the United States Women's National Team in 2009 and 2010, she was selected a top 25 finalist for the prestigious USA Softball Player of the Year Award in 2008 and 2009.
She has earned All-SEC honors in each of her three seasons and was named the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2007. Last season, her 54 stolen bases set a school record and led the nation. She also ranked fourth in the nation and led the SEC in batting average last season.Â
In the Starkville community, she has participated in the "Bully Book Blitz," reading to children at local elementary schools, as well as working MSU softball camps. She has helped at the MSU Halloween Carnival for children and participated in Thanksgiving food drives.Â
Lee, a native of Columbus, Miss., he graduated in December with a 3.80 grade point average, majoring in Secondary Education. He is a two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and the President's List at Mississippi State.Â
At Itawamba Community College, Lee earned President's List in each semester and was a member of Phi Theta Kappa. In 2007, he was named JC-Grid Wire Academic All-American.
In 23 games played at quarterback for the Bulldogs, Lee threw for 2,963 yards and ran for an additional 212 yards. He accounted for 14 total touchdowns, 11 by air and three on the ground. Against Georgia Tech, he threw for a career-best 278 yards and threw for 261 yards against Kentucky as a junior in 2008.
He has been nominated for the Rudy Award, given to football student-athletes who exhibit exemplary character, courage, contribution and commitment as members of their team.
Lee has been active in the Starkville area, speaking to children at local churches and serving as a seventh-grade Sunday school teacher at Fairview Baptist Church in Columbus, Miss. He is active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and has spoken to college students at the Baptist Student Union on MSU's campus.Â
The SEC Office will be releasing each of its institution's nominees periodically until the April 6 winners are announced. The schedule is as follows:
           Alabama - Saketh Myneni, tennis (male) / Kassi Price, gymnastics (female)
           Arkansas - Thomas Hauskey, baseball (male) / Katie Stripling, track & field (female)
           Auburn - Jordan Anderson, swimming (male) / Melissa Marik, swimming (female)
            Florida - Joey Sorrentino, football (male) / Rebekah Zaiser, gymnastics (female)
           Georgia - Hunter Lainhart, swimming (male) / Grace Taylor, gymnastics (female)
           Kentucky - Eric McGinnis, swimming (male) / Sarah Rumley, volleyball (female)
           LSU - Lyle Hitt, football (male) / Lauren DeGirolamo, volleyball (female)
           Ole Miss - Andy Hartmann, football (male) / Danielle Johnson, soccer (female)
           Miss. State - Tyson Lee, football (male) / Chelsea Bramlett, softball (female)
           South Carolina - March 31
           Tennessee - April 1
           Vanderbilt - April 2
National Student-Athlete Day was created in 1987 by the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS) and Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society, and presented by the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
National Student-Athlete Day is held each April 6 to celebrate outstanding student-athletes who have achieved excellence in academics and athletics while having made significant contributions to the community. It is also a time to recognize those parents, teachers, coaches and school systems which make it possible for young people to find the balance between academics and athletics.
Each year, the SEC, in conjunction with AT&T, an SEC Corporate Champion sponsor, provides the league's male and female McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship recipients with a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship. The 22 remaining male and female finalists for the award will also receive a $5,000 post-graduate scholarship. The award recipients are chosen by a committee of Faculty Athletics Representatives from the 12 SEC institutions and are honored at the SEC Spring Meetings in Sandestin, Fla. on June 3.
Last year's recipients were Ole Miss tennis player Bram ten Berge and Tennessee swimmer Christine Magnuson.
